1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a catalyzed process for the para-directed ring chlorination of alkylbenzenes and to novel compounds useful as catalysts. The para-alkylbenzenes, such as para-chlorotoluene, are useful as chemical intermediates for the synthesis of various chemical products, especially agricultural chemical and pharmaceutical products.
2. Prior Art
The production of nuclear chlorinated alkylbenzenes, such as mono-chlorotoluene, is well-known and of considerable commercial importance. Typical commercial processes involve the chlorination of an alkylbenzene, such as toluene, in the presence of a chlorination catalyst, such as ferric chloride, antimony chloride, aluminum chloride, and the like. The usual product of such reactions is a mixture of various monochlorinated and/or polychlorinated compounds. For example, in the liquid phase substitution-chlorination chlorination of toluene by reaction of chlorine and toluene, to form mono-chlorotoluene, the usual product is a mixture of ortho-chlorotoluene and para-chlorotoluene, which may, in addition, contain varying amounts of other chlorinated products such as meta-chlorotoluene, dichlorotoluenes, various polychlorotoluenes and benzylic chlorides.
In the ring chlorination of toluene, since there are two ortho sites and only one para site where substitution may occur, the production of orthochlorotoluene is favored. Because of the greater commercial value of parachlorotoluene, considerable effort has been expended in attempts to direct the chlorination reaction in such a manner as to lower the ratio of orthochlorotoluene to parachlorotoluene, that is, to discover reaction conditions under which the formation of parachlorotoluene is favored.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,946,040 discloses that when alkylbenzenes are reacted with chlorine, the yield of parachlorinated product is improved with the aid of a mixed catalyst comprising sulfur and antimony trichloride and, optionally, iron or lead.
In British Patent No. 1,153,746 (1969) it is disclosed that in the chlorination of toluene in the presence of a ring chlorination catalyst, such as ferric chloride, antimony chloride, and the like, the ratio of orthochloro to parachloro isomers produced may be lowered by the presence of an organic sulfur compound such as thiophene, hexadecylmercaptan, dibenzothiophene or the like.
British Patent No. 1,163,927 (1969) discloses that the formation of parachlorotoluene is enhanced when toluene is reacted with chlorine in the presence of elemental sulfur, or an inorganic sulfur compound, and a ring chlorination catalyst, such as ferric chloride, aluminum chloride, antimony chloride, zinc chloride, iodine, molybdenum chloride, stannous chloride, zirconium chloride, or boron trifluoride.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,226,447 (1965) teaches that in the substitution-chlorination of benzene and toluene, the ratio of ortho isomer to paraisomer in the mono-chlorinated product may be lowered when the reaction is carried out in the presence of an iron, aluminum or antimony halide catalyst and a co-catalyst which is an organic sulfur compound wherein the sulfur is divalent. Examples of such co-catalyst include various mercaptans, mercapto-aliphatic carboxylic acids, aliphatic thiocarboxylic acids, alkyl sulfides, alkyl disulfides, thiophenols, aryl sulfides, aryl disulfides and the like containing divalent sulfur.
According to U.S. Pat. No. 3,317,617 (1967) the formation of parachlorotoluene is favored when toluene is reacted with chlorine in the presence of platinum dioxide.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,031,144 (1977) discloses that a mono-chlorotoluene product having an unusually high parachlorotoluene content is obtained when toluene is chlorinated in the presence of a catalyst system that contains a ferrocene compound and a co-catalyst that is sulfur or a compound that contains at least one divalent sulfur atom, such as sulfur, sulfur monochloride, sulfur dichloride carbon disulfide, thiophenes, thiophanes, alkylcycloalkyl-, aryl- and aralkyl mercaptans and dimercaptans, thioethers, and the like.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,013,730 (1977) discloses a process for the preparation of monochlorotoluene having a reduced orthochloro- to parachloro isomer content which comprises reacting toluene with chlorine in the presence of a catalyst system comprising a Lewis acid catalyst and, as a co-catalyst, diphenyl selenide or aluminum selenide.
Still further improvements in the preparation of monochlorotoluene having a low ortho to para isomer ratio are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,031,142 and 4,031,147 (1977). U.S. Pat. No. 4,031,142 discloses a process for the preparation of nuclear chlorinated alkylbenzenes, such as monochlorotoluene which comprises reacting an alkylbenzene, such as toluene, with chlorine in the presence of a Lewis acid catalyst and, as a co-catalyst, thianthrene. In accordance with U.S. Pat. No. 4,031,147, even lower ratios of ortho to para isomer are obtained in monochloroalkylbenzene products prepared by the reaction of an alkylbenzene with chlorine in the presence of a Lewis acid catalyst and a thianthrene compound having electron-withdrawing substituents, such as chlorine, present at the 2,3,7 and/or 8 position of the thianthrene nucleus.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,069,263 and 4,069,264 disclose processes for the directed nuclear chlorination of alkylbenzenes wherein an alkylbenzene, such as toluene is reacted with chlorine in the presence of a substituted thianthrene having both electron-withdrawing substituents and electron-donating substituents on the nucleus thereof.
U.S. Patent 4,250,122 (1981) to Lin discloses a process for the para-directed chlorination of toluene by reaction with chlorine in the presence of a catalyst mixture prepared by (a) reacting sulfur monochloride with toluene or chlorotoluene in the presence of a Lewis acid catalyst and (b) reacting the reaction product of (a) with chlorine.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,289,916 (1981) to Nakayama et al. teaches a process for producing p-chloroalkylbenzene selectively by chlorinating an alkylbenzene in the presence of a phenoxathiin compound.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,647,709 (1987) to Wolfram discloses a high proportion of p-chlorotoluene is obtained when toluene is chlorinated in the presence of a Lewis acid catalyst and a co-catalyst comprising a chlorination product of 2,8,-dimethylphenoxathiin. The primary component of the co-catalyst is 1,3,7,9-tetrachloro-2,8-dimethylphenoxathiin.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,851,596 (1989) to Mais et al. discloses the ring chlorination of alkylbenzenes in the presence of Friedel-Crafts catalysts and thiazepine compounds as co-catalysts.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,925,994 (1990) to Mais discloses an increase in the proportion of p-chloroalkylbenzenes when alkylbenzenes are chlorinated in the presence of a Friedel-Crafts catalyst and a 1,6-benzothiazocin co-catalyst.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,990,707 (1991) to Mais et al. discloses the nuclear chlorination of alkylbenzenes in the presence of a Friedel-Crafts catalyst and, as a co-catalyst, a benzo-fused imine or benzo[f]-1,4-thiazepine compound to increase the proportional yield of parachloroalkylbenzenes.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,105,036 (1992) to Mais et al. discloses a process for the nuclear chlorination of alkylbenzenes in the presence of Friedel-Crafts catalysts and a co-catalyst which is a cyclic amidine that is oxy-substituted on the exocyclic N atom. The process results in a reaction product containing an increased proportion of the p-chloro isomer.